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View Full Version : Best domain for a druid?



Umarth
2007-07-31, 05:10 PM
Just curious what domain folks think would be the best.

Right now I'm debating between Spell (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/domain.pl?Spell), Planning (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/domain.pl?Planning), or maybe Destiny (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/domain.pl?Destiny).

Any other suggestions or reasons I shouldn't take one of those?

Arbitrarity
2007-07-31, 05:11 PM
How is your druid getting domains?

Fax Celestis
2007-07-31, 05:14 PM
Try the Hunger domain. Mmm. Tasty.

Rama_Lei
2007-07-31, 05:49 PM
Um, do you mean a druid/cleric mulitclass?

Jensik
2007-07-31, 05:52 PM
Assuming you are referring to a Druid/Cleric multiclass (as only Clerics can select Domains) the obvious choices would be Nature or Plant or some equivalent. Of course I'm a firm believer in selecting domains based on role playing and not efficiency.

Fax Celestis
2007-07-31, 05:52 PM
He may have taken a PrC that grants him domain access.

Umarth
2007-07-31, 05:55 PM
I will be taking Contemplative to get the bonus domain.

Fax Celestis
2007-07-31, 05:56 PM
I still say Hunger. Mm-mm. Bite attack.

Umarth
2007-07-31, 05:56 PM
What book is the hunger domain in?

Fax Celestis
2007-07-31, 06:37 PM
it's in the Spell Compendium, as far as I know. Also probably something FR.

Jack_Simth
2007-07-31, 06:57 PM
I still say Hunger. Mm-mm. Bite attack.
As a Druid, by the time he can take a level of the Prestige Class to get the domain, he can have a bite attack anyway by way of Wildshape.

Mechanically, wouldn't he be better off taking something to cover for Druidic lacks? The Travel domain to get Dimension Door, Teleport, and Greater Teleport, for instance? The Luck domain for the reroll? The Magic domain for the ability to use basically any scroll or wand, and so on?

Edit:
Ooh - Pride domain - drop the chance of a 1 on a saving throw from 1 in 20 to 1 in 400....

Fax Celestis
2007-07-31, 06:59 PM
Hunger's bite attack would be usable in any form, even those normally without one. Further, the spells it grants are fun. "I swallow you whole and stick you in a pocket dimension!"

Zherog
2007-07-31, 07:03 PM
Let me ask you a question, Umarth. When you ask for the "best domain" what do you mean?

Do you want the best mechanical choice? If so, does that mean the best bonus ability, best spell list, or best combination of the two?

Do you want the best flavor choice? If so, you have to tell us a little more about your character so we can select a domain that fits in with your character.

Do you have some other definition of "best domain" that we should know about?

Answering those will help folks help you.

Arbitrarity
2007-07-31, 07:09 PM
I personally like destiny, if only for Choose Destiny. That monstrosity can be persisted, if I remember correctly, which is funny.

Planning is mostly good for Extend spell feat, for quick persist spells. Spell is mostly nice for its various wizard copying spells.

BCOVertigo
2007-07-31, 07:16 PM
Hunger's bite attack would be usable in any form, even those normally without one. Further, the spells it grants are fun. "I swallow you whole and stick you in a pocket dimension!"

ZO MAI GAWD! I saw that spell and couldn't for the life of me remember where it was. If ever you need someone thoroughly violenced (or maybe just mildly), I am at your disposal.

Fax Celestis
2007-07-31, 07:17 PM
ZO MAI GAWD! I saw that spell and couldn't for the life of me remember where it was. If ever you need someone thoroughly violenced (or maybe just mildly), I am at your disposal.

See? Hunger Domain = Fun Times For The Whole Family!

Umarth
2007-07-31, 08:39 PM
Let me ask you a question, Umarth. When you ask for the "best domain" what do you mean?

Most fun to play I think trumps all else. Of course power is always fun.

Campaign is the Age of Worms.

Char: Pilt Down Jungle Gnome Druid (NG) Link to character sheet here (http://www.delith.com/char/view.php?id=151)
Grew up in the Beastlands and headed to the prime recently to visit his fathers’ family for the first time. Wound up half way across Oerth and is adventuring to raise funds and learn more about the world.

Even though Pilt is a jungle gnome he is well educated (educated feat) as he trained with centaurs in Skerrits realm on the Beastlands.


Hunger domain is sounding fun. I've never played someone that ate other people before.

Bassetking
2007-07-31, 08:51 PM
Nearly all of the Sin domains are a BUNDLE of fun.

My personal favorite, though, is Pestilence.

Contagion, Poison, Plague of Rats, Otyugh Swarm... HOT.

MrNexx
2007-07-31, 10:02 PM
You misspelled "Riding" on your character sheet.

However, how does your druid gain spells? Is it the standard "reveres nature, nevermindexactlywhogiveshimspells", or does he actually have a deity? Because I would figure that he'd tend towards ones available from his deity.

TheLogman
2007-07-31, 10:07 PM
I really like the Elemental Domains, control over 2 elements per domain makes fun. Plus, there are both Battle-field control spells, and damaging spells in each Domain, so all of them work well.

Jack Mann
2007-07-31, 10:22 PM
Yeah, go for something like hunger or pride (nice special abilities) or to domains like travel or magic (good spell selection). By no means whatsoever should you choose animal or plant domains. That gives you absolutely nothing. It doesn't even give you anything flavorwise, since nothing changes for your character, except possibly the ability to turn or rebuke plants (which you're not likely to do much in any event).

Droodle
2007-08-01, 05:01 AM
War wouldn't be bad, since it grants divine power. The only thing worse than a rampaging dire bear is a rampaging dire bear with +6 to it's strength, full BAB, and extra hitpoints. The power word spells aren't bad either (although I'd probably be using those slots for meta-magic versions of divine power instead).

Umarth
2007-08-01, 08:25 AM
Nearly all of the Sin domains are a BUNDLE of fun.


I'd never be able to go home then though. Sadly to many evil spells in those domains.


However, how does your druid gain spells? Is it the standard "reveres nature, nevermindexactlywhogiveshimspells", or does he actually have a deity? Because I would figure that he'd tend towards ones available from his deity.

He's one of the reveres nature types. His personal belief is that he draws his power directly from the Beastlands and that the plane itself is living embodiment of nature.


I really like the Elemental Domains, control over 2 elements per domain makes fun. Plus, there are both Battle-field control spells, and damaging spells in each Domain, so all of them work well.

I looked long and hard at these and eventually decided that with all my summons and an animal companion I didn't have a huge need for even more pets.


By no means whatsoever should you choose animal or plant domains. That gives you absolutely nothing. It doesn't even give you anything flavorwise, since nothing changes for your character, except possibly the ability to turn or rebuke plants (which you're not likely to do much in any event).

Agree 100%.


War wouldn't be bad, since it grants divine power. The only thing worse than a rampaging dire bear is a rampaging dire bear with +6 to it's strength, full BAB, and extra hitpoints. The power word spells aren't bad either (although I'd probably be using those slots for meta-magic versions of divine power instead).

Sadly most of my feats are already spoken for and won't be going to metamagic that can be used with divine power.

Level 1: Education
3: Spell Focus (Conjuration)
6: Natural Spell
9: Augment Summoning
12: Companion Spellbond
15: Extend Spell
18: ? not sure

reorith
2007-08-01, 09:35 AM
the death domain is always fun.

Keld Denar
2007-08-01, 10:00 AM
Celerity (CD) is a tasty domain. +10 untyped move speed, should work in all wildshaped forms as well. Plus, the domain spells are nice, capped out with time stop at level 9.

Competition (CD?) is also nice. It gives divine power as well, if I'm not mistaken, and the rest of the spells are better than war (generally though to be reletively weak, but taken anyway for the free proficiency and focus feats)

Destiny is the luck domain on crack. It's so insanely good, it'd be a real tough choice not to take it.

Hunger domain is from Libris Mortis (Book of Really Bad Latin) and IMO is pretty meh. Its a generally evil domain with most of its spells concerning ghouls and ghasts (creatures of unnatural and insatiable hunger) It contains purportedly (according to the awesome necromancers guide on the WotC boards) the single WORST necromantic spell ever, ghoul gauntlet.

I'd say pick one of the 3 I posted above. They offer the most to a druid, IMHO.

Too bad with Contemplative is you lose wildshape and animal companion progression though.

Person_Man
2007-08-01, 11:37 AM
For pure crunchy goodness, my favorites are Time, Trickery, Travel, Truth, Slime, Shadow, and Dream.

IMO, the strongest domains grant access to powerful arcane spells that you would otherwise never have access to as a divine caster. Things like Fly, Mislead, Black Tentacles, Shadow Conjuration, Haste, Contingency, etc.

The vast majority of Domains can be found in their entirety on Crystalkeep.

CASTLEMIKE
2007-08-01, 12:18 PM
It depends on what you want to do. I like the Spell domain for general utility: Mage Armor, Silence, Any Spells, Anti Magic Field, Limited Wish and MDJ. Anyspell gives you a lot of options like Teleporting somewhere.

At high levels the Luck Domain is nice for Miracle. The Travel Domain provides a lot of neat stuff and so does the Magic Domain.

Droodle
2007-08-01, 02:19 PM
Level 1: Education
3: Spell Focus (Conjuration)
6: Natural Spell
9: Augment Summoning
12: Companion Spellbond
15: Extend Spell
18: ? not sureI don't know. You've got extend at level 15. That's not bad. AT 18, you could nab quicken and call it a day.

Umarth
2007-08-01, 03:14 PM
I got a chance to look at the Hunger domain and don't think I'd be able to take it. Looks like most of the spells are evil and I'm not really looking for this character to slip out of the good alignments.



I'd say pick one of the 3 I posted above. They offer the most to a druid, IMHO.

Too bad with Contemplative is you lose wildshape and animal companion progression though.

Celerity isn't one I'd been thinking about but an extra 10 feet to speed (especially in some of the slower plant forms) would be nice.

I'll only be taking one level of Contemplative though so for 1 missing level of Wildshape/Animal Companion I'll pick up a domain power and an extra spell per spell level per day.


For pure crunchy goodness, my favorites are Time, Trickery, Travel, Truth, Slime, Shadow, and Dream.

Hadn't considered some of these. Trickery nets you Time Stop at the end and gives you Bluff, Disguise, and Hide as class skills. That would probably only make them class skills for the single level of contemplative though right?


I don't know. You've got extend at level 15. That's not bad. AT 18, you could nab quicken and call it a day.

That is a good point. Getting Full BAB isn't shabby. It's to bad that the str bonus wouldn't stack with Bite of the Werebear though.


Looks like the top three I'm considering now are:
Celerity: +10 movement, nice spells, Time stop
Destiny: Ally can reroll 1 roll, good spells, chose destiny
War/Competition: Both grant divine power, war gets me feats, while competition has a stronger spell list.

SadisticFishing
2007-08-01, 04:33 PM
Not nearly enough people have mentioned Travel. Teleporting druids are awesome.

SadisticFishing
2007-08-01, 04:37 PM
Oh but shouldn't you pick a domain that makes sense for your character? I mean a LG druid *probably* wouldn't pick Trickery or Hunger...

Jack_Simth
2007-08-01, 04:50 PM
Oh but shouldn't you pick a domain that makes sense for your character? I mean a LG druid *probably* wouldn't pick Trickery or Hunger...

How do you get an LG Druid?

LG Ex Druid, sure.

LN Druid, Fine.

GN Druid, great.

But an LG Druid? They're required to have a neutral aspect to their alignment...

SadisticFishing
2007-08-01, 04:56 PM
How do you get an LG Druid?

LG Ex Druid, sure.

LN Druid, Fine.

GN Druid, great.

But an LG Druid? They're required to have a neutral aspect to their alignment...

Oopsies I meant LN. Or like... NE and the Good domain. Pick a domain that represents your character.

namo
2007-08-01, 05:27 PM
If your campaign is going into high-levels, Luck is very good. Remember that Miracle replicates lots of other spells for free (and that's just one of its uses).

Monstrous Thrall (Domination 9) is a great spell, but I doubt it fits your druid.

Mysticism has Divine Favor, Righteous Might and Greater Visage of the Deity - nice for Persisters - and Holy Word on top of it.

Time has Contingency, Time Stop and a bonus feat.

Good luck choosing...

Leon
2007-08-02, 12:02 AM
How is your druid getting domains?

There is a variant to allow a Druid to take a Domain (not sure where it it is from)